At a Glance: Name: Colin – Meaning: either 'victory of the people' (via Nicholas) or 'young dog/pup' (via Cailean), depending on lineage – Origin: Two distinct origins: English/French medieval short form of Nicholas; and Scottish Gaelic anglicization of Cailean – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: KAH-lin
Colin is a Two distinct origins: English/French medieval short form of Nicholas; and Scottish Gaelic anglicization of Cailean boy's name meaning “either 'victory of the people' (via Nicholas) or 'young dog/pup' (via Cailean), depending on lineage”.
Meaning & Origin of Colin
Meaning: Either 'victory of the people' (via Nicholas) or 'young dog/pup' (via Cailean), depending on lineage.
Origin: Two distinct origins: English/French medieval short form of Nicholas; and Scottish Gaelic anglicization of Cailean.
A common claim: Said to mean 'young dog' or 'pup' Actually: This captures only the Scottish Gaelic derivation; Colin is at least as often simply a medieval pet form of Nicholas, unrelated to 'dog/pup'.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Colin
Phonetic: KAH-lin IPA: /ˈkɑːlɪn/
Popularity of Colin
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
